by Lisa Hughey
His receptionist was equally tasteful, dressed in a tailored cotton blouse and skirt. She wore a simple gold ring on her ring finger. “Can I help you?” the receptionist said congenially. A light coat of makeup evened out her features and gave her face a healthy glow.
“We’d like to see Representative Fernandez,” Connor replied equally as pleasantly.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“We don’t. But I believe he’ll want to see us,” Connor continued, still in that weirdly friendly voice. “We’d like to discuss a possible charity with him.”
The receptionist blinked her tastefully-shadowed eyes and said slowly, “Okay. Can I have your names?”
Connor gave their names and the receptionist had them wait while she got on the phone.
Within a few minutes, she hung up and smiled at them uncertainly. “If you can wait a few more minutes, Representative Fernandez always has time for his constituents.” But the furrow between her eyebrows was deep. She had no idea why Fernandez was willing to see them without an appointment.
“Great. Thanks,” Con replied.
He made sure Ava stayed on his left side and kept his weapon hand free. The odds of Fernandez attacking them here were slim but Con refused to let down his guard while he was responsible for Ava.
And he kept their positions such that Jess could get every moment of this confrontation on film. About twenty minutes later, Fernandez came out to the reception area.
He had that slick look that all politicians perfected. His Hispanic heritage was only slightly evident in the smooth black hair, gently graying at the sideburns, and dark unreadable eyes. But his suit screamed inside the Beltway and his face was buffed and polished. Clearly, he’d shaken off the roots that had gotten him where he was today.
Funny but the last time Con had seen Fernandez on television, at a new after-school rec center in the middle of a mostly immigrant community, he’d been wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. He guessed that didn’t play as well with the Washington crowd.
“Thanks for seeing us without an appointment.” Con kept his voice light.
“Always happy to chat with my constituents.” Fernandez smiled wide, his capped teeth, white and even. His handshake was firm, short and the perfect grip. Not too tight, not too limp, no clammy skin, and no nervous tremble. “What can I do for you folks?”
Con understood why Ava and Jack had a weird feeling about the guy. He looked right. He smiled right. He said the right things. He was too right. No rough edge, no glimmer of sincerity.
“My name is Ava Sanchez,” Ava inserted smoothly. “I work for GHR. Global Humanitarian Relief. A local private relief organization. We supplement the efforts of relief agencies in addition to spearheading our own relief and philanthropic efforts.”
Ava sounded perfect. Like she was in PR for the company and seeking support instead of searching for information into Fernandez’s shady activities.
“Nice,” Con murmured.
“It sounds like a wonderfully helpful company.” But there’d been a flicker of worry as his eyelids flinched subtly.
“We’ve chosen to put our efforts toward a new organization, S.S.A.F.E.,” Ava continued with her information spiel, trying subtly to take Fernandez off guard. “Have you heard of it?”
“I can’t say that I’m familiar with the organization.” The guy’s veneer didn’t slip at all. If anything his smile got more smarmy. “If you want my support, give the literature to my assistant, and I’ll have my staff do some research.”
But Ava ignored his brush off. “S.S.A.F.E. stands for Security, Shelter, and Freedom for the Exploited. The organization helps abducted and trafficked women reintegrate into society after they are rescued.”
“It sounds like a very worthy cause.” Fernandez crinkled his brow convincingly and he’d subtly relaxed.
“I would think you’d be interested in supporting the cause since the disappearance of the girls eight years ago very positively impacted your career,” Ava said sweetly. “There’s a good chance those girls were trafficked.”
There was no change in his outward demeanor, but Con swore Fernandez was suddenly paying a lot more attention. “It was a great tragedy.”
“You benefited greatly from the kidnapping of those girls.”
“Now, Miss Sanchez.” His smarmy smile dimmed. “I can’t believe you would even think such a thing.”
Ava refused to back down. This guy had made his career on the most devastating, life-changing tragedy of her life. “Maria Torres was my best friend.”
For a mere second, Fernandez’s smile slipped and Con swore he could see into the reptilian soul that lived beneath that slick exterior.
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Fernandez intoned insincerely.
Chances are the girls were gone but suddenly a thought occurred to Con. “No bodies were ever found.”
Fernandez’s mouth turned down. “You’re right,” he murmured. “Still after all these years it would be a miracle if the girls were still alive.”
Something about that statement hit another chord in Con’s consciousness. No bodies were ever found. He thought about Jack’s cryptic message to someone, somewhere in Washington. What if the proof was a person? What if someone had discovered where those girls were?
His heart quickened. It would be a miracle.
“Let’s pray for a miracle then,” Con said softly.
And that’s when he saw the minute crack in Fernandez’s armor. He knew something or he had a guilty conscience.
Ava saw the crack as well. As if the knowledge unleashed her inner warrior she got right in Fernandez’s face, stepping into his personal space, shooting accusations at him. “Did you have something to do with their disappearances?”
Fernandez’s smile didn’t waver. A concerned frown barely rippled the smooth line of his forehead. “I’m sorry, mi joya, I thought you were here to discuss the new project for GHR. Not rehash old news.”
“I am not your jewel,” Ava snarled. “The girls that you built your career on…did you have something to do with their disappearance?”
“My dear, are you completely delusional?” Fernandez kept up the pleasant confusion. He’d clearly perfected the benign puzzled expression.
“You getting this?” Con asked softly, connecting with Jess who was across the street and three stories up. The tiny transmitter buttons they wore had hyper-sensitive mikes that were able to pick up quite a bit of background sound as well as the voices of anyone speaking within ten feet of the mike. They’d hopefully be able to hear what the receptionist was saying as she spoke into the phone handset at her mouth.
“Affirmative.” Jess’s soft laugh was music. “You’ve managed to give him a slight tick.”
Con assessed Fernandez and sure enough his left eye twitched slightly.
“Good going.” Jess laughed again.
Ava fumed beside him, as temper burned in her gorgeous black eyes. He didn’t think she should have brought up the attack so soon, but he also understood Ava’s need to confront Fernandez and maybe get answers. The disappearance of those girls had haunted her and shaped her choices from fifteen until now. Ava’s hands were clenched into fists at her side and she leaned in further. “I’m watching you.”
Fernandez’s smile slipped just enough that Con knew they were right. But he hadn’t said a word that confirmed their suspicions and they still had no proof that Fernandez was guilty. They barely even had speculation, the connections so thin a soft breeze would tear through them. “I would never hurt anyone. What could I possibly have had to do with the abduction of your friends? But even so, it is not smart to threaten an elected official.”
Con’s stress level went through the roof. This guy was threatening Ava.
Con bulked up his shoulders and stepped closer to Ava and by association Fernandez.
“But I am a man of the people, and I know I must always make time for everyone,” Fernandez said softly. “Even if they are not quite rig
ht.”
Con felt the presence of security guards at his back. Fernandez shook his head slightly, negatively, quietly directing the guards not to accost them which was smart. Evicting constituents tended to make you look guilty, even if you could prove you were innocently accused.
Con thought it might be good to get a look at the men behind them. Surely Fernandez wouldn’t use his own security team to try to kidnap Ava but he had to rule them out. Con turned around slowly and assessed the men. But their body types were all wrong and clearly not a match for the men who’d tried to take Ava.
“I think our work here is done,” Con said softly.
“But—”
“Later, sweetheart.” Con curled his left palm around Ava’s bicep and tugged her toward her door. Con tipped an imaginary hat at both Fernandez and the bodyguards who hovered menacingly close to where the three of them stood.
“Thanks for your time,” Con said to Fernandez. And then let him know that they had pictures of the meeting. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing you real soon. But just in case we’ll be sure to send you some commemorative photos of this meeting.”
He hoped that this meeting had effectively prohibited Fernandez from going after Ava again.
“Para curar no basta la intencio,” Fernandez said softly, his gaze firmly trained on Ava. He ignored Con, recognizing that Ava was the more volatile of the pair.
Ava whitened but whatever the words meant, she didn’t back down. She leaned forward pressing into Fernandez’s personal space again. “They will never be forgotten. Que nunca serán olvidados,” she said fiercely.
“I hope you get the help you need.” Fernandez reached out his hand. Con could see the slight tremble in his fingers as he patted Ava on the hand. Jose Fernandez issued the warning softly and it sounded like a threat. “You should be thankful that you weren’t taken.”
“Don’t touch her,” Con growled. Something about Fernandez’s demeanor set off every button he’d ever had. “Don’t come near her ever again.”
He’d put his hand on his weapon to punctuate his warning.
Fernandez reared back.
Con’s phone rang just as cops came screeching into the parking lot, sirens blaring. So that’s who the receptionist had been on the phone with.
Con’s phone continued to ring. He lifted his hand from his weapon and grabbed his phone. It was Jack. Con pressed the Talk button.
“Con?” Jack barked.
“Jack, it really isn’t a good time.”
The cops scrambled out of their car and raced to the doorway of the office. Con was fucked.
“Ava is in danger,” Jack spit out.
“Jess get down here now,” Con commanded, then addressed Jack. “I know. I was trying to fix it.”
“I’m worried she’s going to be abducted,” Jack continued.
Con’s chest swelled. “I stopped it.”
“Oh, thank God.” Jack’s voice was full of relief.
But as Jack expressed his relief, the full extent of Con’s actions just became clear. He’d saved Ava. But he may have just destroyed GHR’s name. The shit storm from a company employee threatening an elected official was about as far from keeping the company safe and taking care of business as possible. And Con knew he’d royally fucked up.
“But Jack,” Con continued as the cops burst through the front door. “I’m about to mess up GHR’s good name.”
“Ava’s safe?”
“You aren’t listening to me. I fucked up and GHR is going to be all over the news.”
“Ava’s okay? You’re okay?” Jack clarified.
“Yes.” Except for the fact that he was likely going to get arrested in a minute.
“Thank you, Con, I’m proud of you. You did a good job.”
Con heard a woman on the other end of the line. “Who are you talking to?”
“Shit,” Jack blurted out. “Got to run.”
The woman’s’ voice rose. “Get off that phone now. You’re going to ruin—”
The line went dead just as the cops drew their weapons. “Hands in the air.”
Con lifted his hands, laced his fingers and placed them behind his head. “Hello officers.” He smiled his best ‘I’m harmless’ smile. Unfortunately when he’d put his hands behind his head, his jacket had lifted up and his holster and weapon were clearly on display.
“On the ground now.”
“Jess. Take care of Ava,” Connor ground out as he sank to his knees and carefully lay face down on the ground.
“You can’t arrest him,” Ava protested.
Jess pushed open the door to the storefront, her camera slung around her neck and no weapons in sight. Jess curled her fingers around Ava’s bicep. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
“We can’t leave him!” Ava’s voice rose.
“Ava, hush.” Con turned his head so he could see Ava and Jess. “I’ll be fine. You guys head to the station in case I need to be bailed out.”
The cops had relieved him of his weapon. “I have a permit to carry concealed,” he said to the linoleum floor.
“We need to check it out,” one of the cops said as he cuffed Con’s wrists together behind his back.
“I don’t want to leave you.” Ava was tugging against Jess’s hold. She wasn’t crying. She was pissed. “Why are you arresting him?”
“Assault.”
“That’s bull. He didn’t assault anyone.”
“Who knew our sweet little receptionist had it in her?” Jess snickered and the sound reverberated into his earpiece.
“That’s my girl,” Con said softly.
Ava’s startled gaze shot to his, her dark black eyes rounded and wide-eyed with surprise.
“Really?” Jess said speculatively.
“Yep.”
“Really?” Ava had stopped struggling with Jess.
“You’re mine,” Con said fiercely.
Fernandez looked confused. Ava looked shocked. And Jess continued to chuckle in Con’s ear.
“Take care of her,” Connor directed.
“I can take care of myself,” Ava countered.
As the cops lifted him to his feet, his hands were cuffed behind his back, his shoulders bunched awkwardly beneath his jacket.
“We’re going to take you to the station,” the second cop said.
“Now, let’s just everyone calm down,” Fernandez interjected.
It occured to Con that Fernandez wasn’t going to want a record of this altercation. Maybe he hadn’t completely messed this up. Con raised an eyebrow. “But don’t you want to press charges?”
The cops shot him a funny look.
“I think an apology would be just fine,” Fernandez spoke in his smoothly perfected politician’s voice.
“You sure you don’t want a record?” Con smiled.
“Most people would be happy to avoid booking and the court time pal,” the first cop said.
Con turned to the second cop. “Does this call stay on the books with the witnesses and participants,” he shot a glance at Ava. “Named and documented whether charges are pressed or not?”
“Yes. Since dispatch registered the call, paperwork will have to be filed,” the second cop said slowly.
“Let’s not be too hasty.” Fernandez smiled the smarmy smile. “I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.”
The receptionist blanched.
“You do what you have to do officers.” Con relaxed his shoulders, smirked and waited to be taken downtown or let go. Either way this whole altercation would be on record. So Ava would be doubly protected. No way Fernandez would try anything against her now.
“No charges?” the second cop asked Fernandez.
“No. I can understand the heat of the moment,” Fernandez deflected. “Everyone makes mistakes.”
“That would be most…understanding of you,” Jess said.
Ava didn’t say a word.
“And who would you be?” Fernandez had lost his politician’s demeanor and had started to
crack around the edges.
Jess held out her hand. “Jessica Stone. I voted for you.”
Fernandez whitened visibly as his gaze shot to the camera dangling around Jess’s neck. Oh yeah, he knew where she’d been and he knew they had pictures.
“We still need to follow up here,” the first cop said and lead Con to the bank of chairs along the wall. “Even if no one wants to press charges.”
“Is that really necessary?” Fernandez’s smile was a little strained.
“Yes.” The police set each of them down in the reception area and interviewed them individually. Ava carefully explained why they had come to visit Representative Fernandez, avoiding the accusations that she’d spouted earlier, focusing on the information regarding S.S.A.F.E.
“It’s a charity that garners a lot of passion,” Fernandez said smoothly, his mask firmly back in place. “No one could blame her for getting heated about the subject.”
Ava smiled tensely but managed to keep her mouth shut. Thank God.
But when the cops asked what lead to the escalation, everyone glossed over the exchange that culminated in Con touching his weapon. When they were all done, the police released Connor from the cuffs and thanked him for his cooperation.
Connor gave Jess a hug. A long one.
“What was that for?” Jess lifted her brows at him.
“Thanks for having my back.”
“Any time.”
Con tried to tell her without words how sorry he was for all the times he blamed her for his issues. “Same goes. You know that right?”
“Umm.”
Deeds not words. Con hugged her again then stepped back. Jess smiled at him and then said, “Looks like we both had some growing up to do.”
“We need to talk,” Connor said to Jess. They needed to go over what to do next. And what to do about Riley’s lack of communication and Jack’s lack of information.
“Could one of you drop me at home?” Ava asked.
Con was speechless. She thought she was going home? Not a chance in hell. He realized that Ava hadn’t said much since his declaration that she was his. He was pretty sure he understood exactly what was happening here. He’d scared her.
His. She was his. And he was hers. He got that. Even if she wasn’t sure yet. He knew that she just needed time to get used to the idea. To allow herself to be happy. And Con was going to make sure she was happy. But he also needed to take control of what was happening with GHR and Stone Consulting. He’d promised Jack.
